How Dare You: An Adra Tallon Vignette
by AdraLoran
Summary: Little story NicolaAfyon and I sorta RPed out on MSN and I decided to make into a short story. Face Loran, Adra Tallon, Nicola Afyon, Baron Fel, Wedge Antilles, Bror Afyon, Kell Tainer (Co-written with NicolaAfyon)
1. How Dare You

**Part One: How Dare You**

Behind me I could hear Iella tapping her foot impatiently at my computer, looking over my shoulder to see what I was doing. Hey, if she wanted me to hack the files faster, then by all means, _she could hack the files. Another button was pressed and then I looked up over my shoulder at Iella._

"Leave my computer alone, honestly," I said to her. She stopped tapping her foot. I could tell a smirk was settling on my face even as I turned back to my screen.

The Force told me that Wedge was now standing a few paces behind his wife. I another key and smiled as the files began listing themselves. I looked over at Iella to see her smiling, then heard Wedge's voice.

"You know, Adra, Iella _is your commanding officer as the Wraiths are technically considered an Intelligence team as well." He'd obviously heard my little 'leave my computer alone' bit. Too bad._

Instead of reply straight off as I knew he expected me to, I swiveled around in my chair, speaking first to Iella. "There are your files, Commander. As to you, Wedge, I'd expect you of all people to know that I honestly don't care. If I need to point out such times as my insubordination shows best, I will."

I watched Wedge as he shook his head, staring at me with disbelief. "Of course," he said, "I should've first asked myself when the last time it was that a Wraith listened to a commanding officer."

The glare I knew I had on my face was enough for him to get the picture of the last time: when he had been so 'kind' as to yell at me about me taking all the blame about Tyria's getting captured. The smile he wore caused me to scowl and I'm sure he had a pretty good idea about the urge I was resisting following into wiping that stupid grin off his face.

"I wouldn't do that, Tallon," he said. Immediately that sparked the match for my fire of sarcasm.

"You wouldn't and would suggest a lot of things. The usual happening is that I do the opposite of what you do suggest unless it suits me," I said, thinking of Jaina's similar comment a few weeks ago.

Wedge glared at me, giving me the same look he had just before the little "boot talk". Quickly I stood up, giving him a mock salute that I just _knew_ he'd appreciate. Then I walked past him, heading towards the sims to go kick Ari and Gaeriel out of them. To my surprise, Nicola fell into step next to me. Oh well, the more the merrier!

"Glad to know I'm not alone," I said to her, a grin forming on my face once more.

I could see Nicola nodding, however we walked by the hanger bay at that exact second and I completely forgot about going to the sims. Instead, I walked slowly backwards, gaze fixed inside the platform until I could get a better view of the ship there.

Nicola came over next to me, looking around me to attempt to find what was so attention-consuming. She raised an eyebrow at me, as if I were insane, then shook her head. Well hey, it's not my fault I happen to have a love for the spacecrafts I grew up flying.

Ignoring Nicola's protests of going to the sims, not inspecting ships, I walked out onto the docking bay, approaching the TIE Interceptor. My feet unconsciously carried me around it as I circled it, my own inspection, my fingers longing to touch the hull, though not daring to for worry of who it belonged to. And I had a pretty good idea, considering another pilot had come out onto the hanger the moment we entered.

General Baron Soontir Fel stood near the wall, watching my every move. Yes, I was quite right. This was, in fact, his legendary Interceptor. He alone was proof that it was his. From what I knew about the Baron, he wouldn't like it if anyone touched his ship, so instead of touching the cool metal hull, I kept my hands to myself.

Behind me I heard Nicola say something that sounded like "Oh my" but as to whether it was to me, the ship, or the Baron, I don't really know nor care. I was just too interested in the ship right now.

A moment later I heard Nicola take out her comm. and click it on, saying into it, "Iella, Fighter Girl here. You might want to lock Wedge in his office for the next few days."

Over the comm. I heard Iella's reply, "Thanks Nicola. I'll remember that. Care to give me your reasonings?"

Nicola replied instantly. "Try the fact that Baron Fel's around."

At the other end it sounded as if someone were trying not to choke. "Since when? Oh sith..." The sounds of Iella's voice faded slightly and I could tell that she was yelling at Wedge while trying not to let the comm. pick up all of her voice. "Wedge, if you move out of your seat I'm going to murder you. Stay!"

Unfortunately, I don't think Wedge listened, because I could hear someone standing up noisily over the comm. Then, through the glass around the end of the bay, I saw Wedge come striding out into the hall.

He was looking over behind his shoulder, presumably at Iella, as he spoke, "Why are you going t- Sithspawn!" He had turned around, his gaze falling on the Baron. The tension rising between the two Generals was easy enough to see, if not feel full-blast through the Force. Without even looking I could tell that both of them were glaring at one another. As Wedge started to make a very violent move towards Fel, Iella grabbed his collar, causing him to rub his neck.

Me? I just continued inspecting the ship. However, I think I got a little too close to it for Fel's comfort because he took a step in my direction, as if a warning. I just kept my head bent as I inspected the siding. Nicola's hand grabbed my arm, trying to drag me away from the ship, but quickly I shook her off. I could tell easily that something like revered longing was showing on my face, considering it was clearly embedded in my voice.

"But...but...that's just like mine!"

Behind me I saw Fel still glaring then turn back to Wedge. And soon after, Iella was speaking from her point of holding her husband's collar. Crazy Corellians, I tell ya. Even if my family _did_ move from Corellia about two generations back.

While I didn't catch Iella's words, I caught Wedge's two. "Not fair," he seemed to be whining to his wife.

Iella, I knew, would be taking none of it. And I was right. "Very fair," was her simple response.

A glance over my shoulder told me that General Fel was still watching me as I walked around the solar panels. This ship was very nicely made, I'd give whoever made it that much. Incredibly put together.

Nicola rolled her eyes off to my right, keeping her distance. "Adra, when you die, I'll have absolutely no sympathy for you."

I can only assume she meant by the hands of the Baron. It wasn't as if I were planning to hop in the cockpit or anything. My reply came out very offhand...more-so than I would like. "I'm not planning on touching it." It was the truth...as much as I would like to feel the metal.

The sounds behind me indicated that Wedge was making another Iella-break away. Nicola's voice, however, carried over. "Riiight..." So much for her believing me. Not that I'd expected her to. 

I looked over my shoulder in time to see Iella smack the back of Wedge's head and I had to stifle a laugh. Wedge winced visibly before grabbing his blaster. I looked over at the Baron; he didn't seem to be at all affected by the fact that a blaster was pointing at him at a very close range. Instead, the Baron was still watching me and my inspection.

"I should hope you're not planning on touching me ship," he seemed to be replying to my statement to Nicola, "If you do, then I'm afraid I'll have to introduce you to blaster bolts."

Meanwhile, Iella had grabbed the blaster from her husband's hand. Wedge was looking outraged, Fel quite calm, and Nicola was shaking her head at me.

"What did I tell you, Adra?" She stated it like it might be a question.

"Nothing," I replied in my off-hand way again.

"Really now?"

I began inspecting the underside of the ship now, nodding slightly, and muttering my response. "Mmhmm..."

I heard Nicola pick up her comm. for a second time and it was very apparent that she was calling Face, Kell and Bror. "Alright you three, get her out of a 5 mile radius of Fel's ship."

How dare she! Oh well. Inspect it while you can! So I continued with my inspection, oblivious to Fel's watching my every move. As I took a few more steps onward, reviewing the sides and scorch marks along them, I felt someone grab me from behind. Quickly Kell and Bror came to Face's 'aid' as he attempted to drag me away from the TIE. My attempt at elbowing Face was a very half-hearted one, so instead I crossed my arms over my chest, saying all the while my quite heated opinions.

"Not fair! I was inspecting a ship that's the closest I've ever seen to mine! How dare you..."

Face looked mildly nonplussed and I could tell that a conversation would be coming up in the _near future about what I meant. Oh well, why not tell him a bit more about my past, considering he's going to be marrying me. Or is it the other way around? Aw, who cares._

"They dare, that's how," Iella's voice carried over to me and I turned my head as best I could to get a look at her. However, my gaze only fell as far as a now bit-more-relived looking Baron turning to face Wedge.

I watched with half-interest as Wedge twisted out of his wife's grip and headed towards the other General. Fel raised his hand and the blaster in it, leveling it to the other Corellian's head. Wedge raised his blaster and likewise aimed it at Fel. Fine, they want to ruin my fun? I might as well ruin theirs! And with that thought, I reached out along the Force, grabbing both blasters, and then I sent them careening around the room. Fel looked for a minute as if he were debating jumping in his cockpit and firing at Wedge from there. I could've done it for him, considering I'd do quite a bit just to sit in Fel's craft.

The only problem was that now I couldn't see General Fel's ship. Kell, Bror and Face had all managed to drag me away from the hanger. With a quick twist of my own, I got Kell and Bror to release me. I felt Face's hold that was now around my waist tighten, and I was torn between wanting to stay exactly where I was for the rest of time or to go back to the hanger and finishing my inspection. For the moment, the idea of remaining in Face's hold proved the more fatal attraction.


	2. Antilles Vs Fel

**Part Two: Antilles Vs. Fel**

Perhaps three hours later, I was 'sneaking' back into the hanger bay that was housing Baron Fel's Interceptor.  As expected, the General himself was standing in the hanger, talking to one of the mechanics.  Vaguely I saw Iella throw her hands up in disgust and Wedge dart into the hanger once more.  I was about five strides from the TIE when I felt a blaster tap my shoulder.  Without even turning around, I knew it was the Baron.  Slowly I backed away from the ship, a hopeful grin on my face.  The Baron removed the blaster from its position leveled at my head after I was about ten paces away.  Wedge was making a move towards Fel just as Iella grabbed her husband's collar.  Wedge stopped abruptly as Fel moved away.

Seizing my chance, I darted back towards the TIE, this time intercepted by Nicola.  She grabbed my arm and began trying to pull me back.  Fel had turned back around to glare at me as I muttered darkly about stealing the TIE fighter.  Immediately I felt the anger and annoyance pouring off the general in the Force.

"You do that, you die," he said, very simply.

Surprisingly, it was Wedge who responded.  "You kill her, you die."

I jerked my arm out of Nicola's hold before I looked back at the two generals.  "Gee, I love being an asset."

"That would just be another reason for you wanting to kill me, Antilles."  Apparently Fel didn't care that death threats on his head.

Iella, however, seemed to have had enough.  She grabbed Wedge's arm and dragged him off towards the hanger door.  As she went to pull him through it, Wedge grabbed the door frame and jerked himself out of his wife's grip.  He was really set on killing Fel, it seemed.

"It's called an excuse, Fel; I've already got hundreds of reasons."

Jees'm, this was growing into quite a show.  Leia and Han Solo had just appeared through another hanger door.  Through the Force I could sense Han's amusement.  Probing a bit further, I grinned at finding that he was comparing the Antilles dilemma to when Leia was mad at him.  I took another sidestep towards the Interceptor just as Fel spoke again.

"That's nice to know, Antilles, I'll keep that in mind," he began.  Then he opened his mouth, as if to continue, only to have his face pale.  His gaze was locked on the woman entering behind Leia and Han.  When he spoke again, his voice was somewhat higher than usual.  "Syal?"

As Fel was very, very distracted at this point, I took the opportunity to dart around the back of the ship.  Unconsciously I heard Nicola yelling at Face, Bror and Kell again.  Then the footfalls came around the back of the TIE just as I lifted myself into the cockpit.  Below me I heard the tumult I had obviously caused by that last move.  Nicola was letting of a string of curses just as General Fel's supernova presence got closer to the ship.  Face, Kell and Bror's were already underneath it.

"Get back here Tallon! Get the sith out of my TIE!"  That would be General Baron Fel, right on schedule.  I, however, completely ignored him, too interested in my work at the moment.  Abruptly I felt indecision mark Fel's Force presence and realized that he was debating firing his blaster at me.  And then, thank the stars, Syal Fel's presence in the Force was stalking over from where she had been talking with Leia.

I glanced up from what I was doing just in time to see the woman grabbing the back of the Baron's collar, mimicking Iella's hold on Wedge.  "I can't leave you alone for three minutes without you trying to shoot someone."

Stifling a laugh, I listened as Fel muttered from unintelligible things in reply to his wife's accusation.  Syal didn't seem to accept that as a reply, for she prodded the mutterings.  "I didn't quite catch that, Soontir."

It took him a minute, but Fel finally did respond.  "Never mind.  Just let me get this crazy pilot out of my craft."

Oh yeah, that would be me, wouldn't it?  Yeah, I knew that.  Quickly I went back to downloading the information I wanted from the craft.  Syal's voice journeyed up to me again.  "There's easier ways to do it without shooting them, Fel."

Score! Fel was, of course, muttered more unintelligible remarks.  I hit another button on the datapad then glanced down to see Fel nod.  "Fine then, you proceed and remove the sithing pilot."

Indignant at being referred to as a 'sithing pilot', I must admit that I seriously considered putting a virus into his systems.  However, if I did that, I'd ruin the ship.  And it was a nice ship too.  Below, I could sense Syal walking over to the edge of the TIE.  Then came her voice, much less angry, and it was directed at me.

"I know you're enjoying looking at the TIE dear, but you're making my husband a bit more than nervous.  That TIE's like his toy and he's rather protective of it."

I quickly put the computer panel back together and grabbed my datapad.  Just for the record people, it's much easier to ask for things to be done than to threaten.  I looked out of the cockpit to see Fel standing behind his wife, a scowl on his face.  Wedge and Iella were standing by the door and Face, Bror, Kell and Nicola were waiting just behind Fel.  With a sigh, I jumped to the durasteel below.

"Sounds good to me," I said to Syal Fel before continuing.  "After my extensive study," I grinned to Nicola, "I've deduced that my TIE was a superior vessel...until those sithing Anti-Empire over-enthusiasts blew it up."

Fel had been opening his mouth, presumably to thank his wife as I'd finished speaking.  Apparently my words hadn't been what he'd wanted to hear though.  His mouth snapped shut and he toyed with the blaster in his hand.  Nicola saw the situation, as only she would, and at once made another attempt to drag me away.  Syal took the blaster from her husband and then took a firm grip on his collar.  Fel seemed to be resisting the urge to murder me with his bare hands.  In spite of myself, I gave an unconscious shudder at the thought for Fel, judging merely by his size, probably could do that.  So instead of being an idiot for once in my life, I allowed Nicola to lead me away.

Wedge was still attempting to break away from his wife, who appeared to be rapidly losing patience.  As Nicola, Kell, Bror, Face and I approached, Iella appeared to snap.  Abruptly, Wedge met to wall as Iella shoved him into it, speaking angrily.

"Enough!  Put the pig-headed, over-cocky Corellian back in his little durasteel box and greet your guests as if you are the general I know you can be.  If you find trouble doing this, I will take Han's 'suggestion' to Jag and use it on you, introducing your face to carbonite."

I glanced over my shoulder once at the surprise rolling off General Fel.  Apparently he didn't know about Jag and Jaina, otherwise he wouldn't have been so shocked at Iella's comment on Jag.  Taking the momentary confusion to my advantage, I twisted from Nicola's grip and went over to a computer bank, inserting the datacard.  Abruptly two TIE models appeared on the screen, their makings coming up beside them.

Behind me, Wedge was finally reholstering his blaster, still glaring at Fel no doubt.  I glanced over to see him saying something to Iella just as I caught the words.

"I didn't want to be a general, and you know it too.  Just because Ackbar shoved the rank insignia on me doesn't mean I have to be little-Mr.-Perfect-General."

Iella didn't appear impressed, as was plainly seen in her next comment.  "No, but that doesn't mean I don't expect you to be."

Nicola had come up behind me by now, shaking her head at what she saw on my screen.  "Adra, that's getting annoying.  It looks a hell of a lot like my old ship too, but I'm not drooling over Fel's ship like you are."

"Oh shut up, Fighter Girl," was my immediate response.  Rather snappy, too.  "I'm enjoying seeing how badly that idiot who calls himself my father wanted to impress his colleges with the ship he bought his eight year old kid."  After a minute, I closed down the program and grabbed the datacard as it appeared.  It went straight into my jumpsuit pocket and then I turned and headed for the lounge.  Behind me, I heard Nicola speaking.

"That's nice, Computer Girl.  Go tell it to Tyria."

"I will, I will..." I said absently.

Of course, I didn't actually go off to the lounge.  I stopped just outside the hanger bay and muted my Force-presence.  Fel was speaking again, closer this time.

"Well, that was odd."

"What might that be, Fel?"  That would be Wedge.  And he would probably be glaring.

Fel didn't take that long to reply.  "The choices you have in pilots."

At this point, I debated murdering that man through the Force.  But thank the stars for Wedge.  "I like my choice in pilots just fine."

Fel's remarks were growing more and more rude.  "That's probably a good thing; otherwise you would get even less done around here."

Ooo, I didn't like that man.  I don't mind if he insults me personally, but when it gets turned on the residing commanding officer then he's gone too far.  Through the Force I felt Wedge make a violent move in Fel's direction.  Was there some trait in all male Fel's that made them rude?  Jaina had commented that one of the first things Jag had said to her was a stuck-up thing.  More movement through the Force caught my attention.  This time it was Han Solo trying to move to Wedge's side, getting caught by Leia.  Iella cuffed Wedge over the head, but personally I thought Fel deserved to be taken down.  After a few moments, Leia released Han.

The ex-general stepped over to Wedge's side just as Leia's Force presence moved over to Iella's.  Then the Alderaanian Princess's voice was meeting the air again.  "Alright, this is getting ridiculous.  If the public knew what went on inside our supposedly-infallibly wonderful squadron headquarters, you'd become the laughing stalk of the New Republic.  Now go back to what you were doing and exchange friendly remarks."

Leia's words were met with silence before Fel broke it.  His words seemed to be directed at his former classmate- Han Solo.  "I do believe you married a smart woman. Head strong, but smart."

At Leia's remarks on how this would look to the public, however, Adra had felt Wedge cringe.  The Force was showing him putting on a forced smile as he spoke.  "Welcome to Coruscant, Fel.  I hope you'll be staying long enough for a simulator run."

The Baron was obviously wearing a similarly forced smile as he replied.  "Thank you, Antilles.  I believe I might have time for said simulator run.  Now if you would kindly direct me in the direction of my son, I'd be most obliged."

Wedge's Force presence was suddenly marked with a bit of worry.  I knew then that my assumptions had been right; Wedge hadn't told either Syal or Soontir Fel that Jagged Fel was going out with Jaina Solo.  However, for sake of appearing friendly, Wedge replied.  "Look for Colonel Solo.  He's most likely with her."


End file.
